Tactical Heart

by S. K. Rose

  We go back to school Monday, which means I have two days to pull this off. I’m going to need help. A lot of it.

  “Mom. You still have that old sewing machine, right?”

  32

  Scarlett

  It’s Sunday, my last day of freedom, and I cannot find a single goddamn person to celebrate with. I spent the morning returning messages on Tactical Heart and adding a shitload of new friends to my friends’ list. It’s weird as hell being a bit of a celebrity in this tiny little circle of gamerhood, but kinda cool, too.

  I still haven’t decided what to do about Kane. Yes, I have all these stupid feelings for him. But he’s also a man-child with commitment issues. Oh, and he’s a little sexist, or at least he was. I’ve put the ring he gave me on and taken it right back off about a hundred times since taking it out of the drawer.

  Now, I need a little distraction. It’s lunch time, and I was hoping to go with Nessa or Julie to my favorite diner. They have a Snickers pie that is to die for. But neither of these assholes has been returning my texts. In fact, they’ve been weirdly silent all weekend. Even Wren has been AFK since he left to go home Saturday afternoon.

  These assholes are really starting to piss me off. I’m in emotional turmoil over here. What’s a bitch gotta do for a little sympathy meal?

  Screw it.

  Picking up my phone, I tap on a contact and listen to ringing on the other end.

  “Hey Mom, I was just wondering if you wanted t—Uhuh, I see. Well, do you know where Julie’s at today, I—.” There’s a click, and the line is dead.

  I throw the phone onto my bed with a grunt. Brushed off by my own mother?!

  I pace the room, irritation ballooning in my chest. I know I’ve been a bit of a mess lately with my gloomy moods and candy gorging. I know I still have a good shot of interning with EkoTek but not winning the competition was still a kick to the lady nuts.

  Maybe everyone is just sick and tired of dealing with my bullshit.

  No way, that can’t be it. I’m a fucking joy. A delight.

  It’s definitely them just being jerkwads.

  After grabbing lunch from one of the school’s cafes, I prop myself up on the bed and watch The Two Towers as I stuff my face. It’s my favorite of the Lord of the Ring movies, and it always cheers me up. I’m midway through the third movie when I feel myself drifting off to sleep.

  My phone vibrates beside me, and I wake with a start. Finally!

  Baby Sis: Where the hell are you? Dress rehearsal for the wedding was supposed to start ten minutes ago.

  I look at the timestamp. How the fuck is it already five in the evening?

  Wait...DRESS REHEARSAL?

  Me: Oh my god, what are you talking about? You haven’t set a date for that yet!

  Baby Sis: You’re joking right? I know you’ve had a lot going on, but you are my sister and the maid of honor, Scarlett. How could you forget? Put on a nice dress, pretty yourself up, and GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE. Address incoming.

  A surge of panic kicks my ass into gear as I rip open my closet and claw through my clothes. I can’t believe I fucked this up. I could have sworn up and down she hadn’t set a date yet. Somewhere in my self-absorbed bubble, she told me, and I completely spaced out.

  God, no wonder everybody has been busy.

  I am officially the worst sister in the history of ever.

  With a pathetic whimper, I give up on finding anything decent in my closet and begin on Nessa’s. In the back, I find a long black cocktail dress and have it on in a flash. I throw my hair into a high ponytail and find some dangling earrings I’ve likely never worn before. Tugging on strappy black heels, I grab my phone, keys, and purse and fly out the door.

  After plugging the address she gave me into the GPS, I sigh a small breath of relief when I see that it’s only about ten minutes away. I berate myself the entire drive over, considering different ways to punish myself when I pull into a parking lot with a handful of cars.

  “Shit, shit, shit, shit,” I mutter as I throw open my door and step out of the car. Even in my hurry, I notice something odd about this venue. Taking a quick second to really take in my surroundings, I realize that I’m standing in front of the auditorium of Julie and mine’s old high school.

  Puzzled, I double check the address to make sure I’m even in the right place.

  Yep, this is it. I guess I should have recognized it before. What a weird place for her rehearsal to be, but unlike me, I guess she has tons of fond memories of this place. Besides the auditorium is a nice size, good as any place to practice for a wedding I suppose.

  Clearing my thoughts, I walk up to the entrance and read the shimmery banner above the double doors. “Nerds WELCOME!”

  What the...fuckity fuck?

  Oh jeez, who the hell did she have help her decorate? Another job that should have been mine if I wasn’t so far up my own ass. Oh, I am going to get on my damn knees for this apology.

  Clutching my hand around the metal handle, I swing open the heavy door and step inside the dimly lit auditorium.

  Squinting my eyes as they adjust to the dark, I can see tables and chairs set up in one corner. There’s also something hanging from the ceiling rafters, but I can’t quite make out what they are in the shit lighting. Someone is making their way over to me, but why the hell are they sitting in the dark?

  Close enough to finally make out his features, Wren stands before me. He’s in a dark suit, hair slicked back and something in his hand.

  “I see you got roped into this, too. Why is it so dark in here?” I ask. “What the heck is going on?”

  He smiles and holds out a small flower that’s pinned to a lacey wristlet. “Will you go to prom with me, Red?”

  My eyes widen with surprise. “Fuck off, what are you talking about?”

  His smile grows, but he simply repeats the question.

  “No, you twit. I’m not going to prom with you. Now tell me what’s going on!” He pockets the flower and steps to the side.

  Nessa is behind him with her hip jutted out, pink flower in hand, quickly stepping into his spot. “Pendeja, let my sexy ass take you to prom?” she purrs, and I shake my head in bewilderment.

  “Ness, tell me what the shit is going on. Have you guys been kidnapped or something?” Suppressing a laugh, she only winks and sticks the flower into her cleavage before stepping to my right, directly across from Wren.

  Before I have a chance to shout for someone sane to step up, I look down and find Jack Decker, Kane’s little brother, smiling up at me. He’s holding out a flower just as the others.

  “Scarlett, family game night champion, will you go to prom with me?”

  His toothy smile widens, and I can’t help but grin down at him. “Sorry, handsome, no prom for this girl.” In his tiny tuxedo, he skips to stand beside Wren.

  “Well, you know, I look bangin’ in this slutty sequin dress. How about you say yes to me?” Julie saunters forward, practically glowing with mischief.

  “There’s uh...there’s no rehearsal today is there?” I ask her slowly.

  She giggles and shakes her head. “Can’t put anything past you, can I, sis?”

  I growl and reach out to shake her. “I was fucking in panic mode, Julie. How could you freak me out like that?” I cry.

  A voice behind me replies, “She did it because I asked her to.”

  33

  Kane

  Strands of red fly through the air as she turns to look at me, lips parted in surprise.

  “This..,” she gestures around her. “This is all your doing?”

  With a smirk, I nod. “You haven’t seen nothin’ yet, Freckles.”

  The shock clears from her features, quickly replaced by anger. “I’m not in the mood for whatever this is. You made yourself clear, Kane, just leave it alone. Please.” She stomps past me, only looking over her shoulder to shout at her friends. “Thanks for nothing, guys!”

  Not paying attention, she runs smack into Max who’s doing
his job well of guarding the exit.

  “Just hear him out. I’m tired of his whining,” my older brother says gruffly as he swivels a wide-eyed Scarlett back toward me.

  With a deep breath, she marches up to me. I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. God, she’s adorable when she puffs out her chest and tries to look intimidating.

  “Thirty seconds, speak,” she barks, crossing her arms in defiance.

  “Scarlett Mavis, will you go to the prom with me?”

  She raises an eyebrow and flips away a piece of her hair. “Let me think about that for a second. How about umm...no?” She flashes me a wicked smile, and this time, I don’t hold back my laughter.

  “You’re impossible you know that? Stubborn, unpredictable, snarky, violent, and the most competitive human I have ever met.” Someone behind me clears their throat, and I roll my eyes. “Okay, I might be as equally competitive, but that’s beside the point.”

  “Dude, you’re supposed to say nice stuff now,” my little brother whispers from the side of his mouth. “You’re so bad at this.”

  Scarlett’s mouth twitches, but she fights against the smile trying to surface. “Kid’s got a point.”

  “But,” I continue, reaching for her hand and taking it between mine. “It’s those qualities that I value most about you. They are what make you so damn strong. You take things on head first, and you don’t apologize for who you are. I would consider myself lucky to possess half the confidence you carry around. You are fucking amazing, and I know I was being an idiot, but I’m all in now. I want to fight with you, game with you, and geek out like the nerds we are.” Releasing her, I hold my hand flat at my stomach, palm facing down. “Video games.” I raise my hand to my chest. “EkoTek internship and future career.” My hand shoots above my head. “You.”

  Seems she loses the fight ‘cause her face cracks into a beautiful smile that sends my pulse racing. “You’re crazy,” she says, but the smile doesn’t falter for even a second. “Where did all that come from?”

  Wrapping a hand around her waist, I tug her closer, our bodies not quite touching. “Looks like I leveled up.” I grin, making her laugh. “Our first date was the best day of my life. It started me on a quest, and I didn’t even realize it. There were obstacles, virtual bloodshed, and a close call with a demon.” My eyes shoot over to Wren who just snickers. “But part of me knew I would never be happy again until I reached the top of the castle and found my princess.”

  “I’m not some damsel in distress, Kane Decker.”

  “Oh, did I mention at the top of the castle was a badass warrior in the place of a princess?”

  “Much better.” She grins.

  “I love you, Freckles.”

  I can practically see the wind knock out of her. “Wait...you, you love me?” she squeaks.

  A chorus of voices speak up around us, “Duh!”

  Eyes brimming with tears, her arms wrap around my neck as she hides her face into the crook of my neck. “I love you, too,” she whispers against my skin. I squeeze her close against me, relishing the way her body fits with mine so perfectly.

  “Go to prom with me?” I ask softly in her ear, one last time. Eyes shut, tears squeezing out of her eyes, she nods furiously against me.

  Lifting her chin, I bring her lips to mine and give her a kiss to put all of our previous kisses to shame. Wrapping my hand around her neck, I pull her in deeper, my tongue caressing her bottom lip before I finally break away to look into her hazel eyes.

  Knowing I wear the cheesiest smile in existence, I yell over my shoulder, “That’s your cue, fam!” before letting my lips crash back against hers, hungry for more.

  The auditorium bursts into light, and everyone bustles to their tasks. Scarlett breaks away breathlessly, eyes wide as she looks around the room. Wren calls out to someone outside and a few people, all dressed head to toe in black, pile inside behind him. They head directly to the small stage where Wren slides on an electric guitar and adjusts his mic.

  My mom is taking lids off containers full of finger food that are lined out on a long table covered in blue cloth. As she works, she chats with Ms. Mavis who is moving around the tables and chairs, lighting the floating candle centerpieces.

  To our left is a dark blue backdrop dotted with tiny stars. In white lettering, it says “Nerd Prom 2019” and a few paces away, a camera is set up on a tripod. Jack is looking through the lens, and once everything is lined up, he gives me a thumbs up.

  Scarlett’s chin lifts, and I know she’s looking at all the glittering stars hanging from the ceiling, spinning when a current from the air conditioner hits it just right.

  Looking around, I give myself a mental pat on the back. It looks like any typical school dance covered with cheesy decorations.

  But the real reward is the look on Scarlett’s face this very moment. Eyes full of wonder, she’s so breathtakingly beautiful.

  Priceless.

  SCARLETT

  What?

  How?

  Wha—but—I mean—holy shi—fuuck.

  Kane Decker has broken my fucking brain.

  I always regretted that I never went to my senior prom. Julie spent the day trying to convince me to go, that it would be one of the best experiences of my life, just like in the movies. But I refused and spent the night huddled over my keyboard, pretending not to care.

  Now, spread out before me is how I always imagined it should look. Well, aside from my mom being here, who’s waving frantically at me from across the room. I give her a wave back, and nodding to Kane, she gives me two thumbs up.

  “Now, I don’t have a flower for you,” Kane says, lifting my hand. “But I figured this would be a little more appropriate.” I look down as he slips a colorful corsage around my wrist.

  I choke back a laugh as I look down. Where flowers would typically be, there’s an arrangement of lollipops nestled among lace and curled ribbon.

  “I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

  Kane’s fingers slip through mine as he tugs me back into his arms. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I mean, look what I’m wearing for crying out loud.”

  For the first time, I drop my gaze from his face to his clothes and sit back on my heels appreciatively. In a slim burgundy suit and a shiny black bow tie snug under his collar, he’s looking pretty fly. With a twirl of my finger, he does a little spin and finishes with a pose, one hand on his hip and the other framing his face.

  “Not too bad, Karnage, not too bad at all,” I tease.

  His eyes take a moment to travel down the length of my body, lingering on the deep v neck of the dress. “Not bad yourself,” his breathy voice has me squeezing my thighs together with need. God, it’s been too long since he’s been between them.

  “None of those eyes, not since you decided to bring chaperones.”

  His eyes flick to where our moms are blatantly staring at us, eyes full of happy tears. He makes a growling sound in his throat that says he’s regretting that decision.

  The sound of tapping on a mic has everyone stopping what they’re doing to look up at the stage.

  “Check, check. Alright, ladies and gents, tonight is a very special night, it’s Nerd Prom—where all gamer girls, goth chicks, bookworms, theater dorks, band geeks, and all those sad toys on Misfit Island are welcome. So grab some punch, get your picture taken, and hit the dance floor. We are Reaper’s Remorse and uh one, two, three...” The tune to a popular pop song strikes up. Strumming his guitar, he leans into the mic and begins to sing.

  My jaw almost hits the floor. Since finding out he was in a band, I demanded he send me some of his songs on Spotify. All of his band’s music is metal, which isn’t my usual thing, but it was still pretty damn good. Hearing him sing an upbeat song is completely opposite than anything I’ve heard him sing before; his voice is soft and soulful.

  “Damn. He’s good,” Kane echoes my thoughts, his eyes glued to the stage. I laugh and nod in agreement.
I look around to gush with Julie but spot her at a table with Leo, whispering and looking into each other’s eyes. I smile happily at them, and my view is suddenly blocked by Nessa who’s moving past us and headed toward the stage. Her jaw is slack as she looks up dreamily at Wren. I swear I hear, “Dios mio” uttered from her lips as she presses her hand to her chest with a sigh.

  Kane gives me a knowing look, and we both chuckle. Looks like Wren might have finally found his way into Nessa’s heart.

  “So, milady, photo and refreshments before we dance?” He holds out his hand, and I take it with a giddy smile. Maybe it’s the setting, maybe it’s just the effect Kane has on me, but I feel like a teenager again. Stomach fluttering and heart pounding, I fully embrace the high school experience I never got to enjoy.

  We stand before the starry backdrop and take a bunch of photos, reminding me of our first date when we hid away in the photo booth. We take sweet and silly ones, using all the props that are laid out on a table. My favorite being the nerdy taped up glasses on a stick.

  Before we can head over to the refreshments, Jack slides before us, holding out a hand to his brother. Rolling his eyes, Kane pulls out his wallet and slaps a twenty on his little brother’s palm.

  “Get lost, twerp,” Kane snaps, and Jack runs off looking satisfied.

  We move to the table of refreshments, and Kane sidesteps to pour us drinks from the punch bowl as I stop before my mom and Annie.

  “He’s a keeper,” my mom says with a curt nod.

  “And I knew you belonged the moment I heard the way Kane talked about you,” Annie adds.

  “Thank you. Thank you for helping with all of this and just...everything,” I say softly, looking at each of them as I will my eyes not to fill with tears once more. Distracting myself, I grab a strawberry and plop it into my mouth before I can say something mushy.